§ 80.014. Sign permit procedures.

From and after the effective date of this Ordinance, permits for all signs of a permanent nature which are required to have a permit, including outdoor advertising signs (billboards), and accessory signs (attached and freestanding), shall be issued in accordance with the provisions of this section.

(a)

Application. Any person seeking a sign permit shall file an application with the Village of Godfrey. The application shall be in a form prescribed by the planning and zoning commission, but minimally, shall contain the following information:

(1)

Name, address and telephone number of applicant.

(2)

Location where sign is to be located on the zone lot.

(3)

Master or common signage plan (section 80.012).

(4)

Permanent property (parcel) identification number and proof of ownership for the zone lot where sign is to be located.

(5)

A drawing of the proposed sign showing its dimensions, area, overall height, illumination, method of support/attachment and message or depiction to be placed upon the sign.

(6)

The location of any nearby traffic control devices.

(7)

One application and permit may include multiple signs on the same zone lot.

(8)

Such other information as the planning and zoning commission may reasonably require to determine compliance of the application with the provisions of this Ordinance.

(b)

Review and action on application. A completed sign permit application shall be reviewed by the zoning administrator or such other official of the village as designated by the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of Godfrey. No application shall be deemed received for review until it is complete in all particulars and all information required has been submitted by the applicant. A submitted application shall be reviewed within 21 days of its initial submission for completeness. If it is found to be incomplete, the reviewing official shall notify the applicant of any incomplete items or deficiencies within the said 21-day period. An incomplete application is not deemed filed for purposes of review under this section.

Within 21 days of the submission of a fully complete application for a sign permit, the reviewing officer shall either:

(1)

Issue the sign permit, if the sign(s) that is the subject of the application conforms in every respect to the requirements of the ordinance, unless the sign is one which requires the approval of the planning and zoning commission. If the sign application requires the approval of the planning and zoning commission, the commission will consider the application at its next regular meeting following referral; provided that, the application must be referred not less than ten days, prior to a regular meeting of the planning and zoning commission for consideration at that meeting. If this time requirement is not met, this application will be considered at the next subsequent regular meeting of the planning and zoning commission. The planning and zoning commission shall issue its decision within 45 days of the first regular meeting at which it considers the application. Failure to approve within the foregoing time limit shall constitute approval of the application.

(2)

Reject the sign application and refuse to issue a permit, if the sign(s) that is the subject of the application fails in any manner to conform to the requirements of the ordinance. In case of a rejection, the reviewing officer shall specify the reason or reasons for the rejection and will notify the applicant within the 21-day submission period or within ten days thereafter.

By agreement of the applicant and the reviewing officer or commission, the foregoing time limits may be extended or waived.

(c)

Construction/installation. An applicant, upon issuance of a sign permit, shall have six months from the date of issuance of the permit to construct or install the sign for which the permit has been issued. In the event the construction or installation is not substantially complete within six months from the date of its issuance, it shall automatically lapse and become void, and a new application must be submitted for the installation of the sign.

Following completion of the construction or installation of the sign, the applicant shall notify the reviewing official to request an inspection of the installation. If the construction or installation is complete and in full compliance with the ordinance and with all applicable building and electrical codes, the reviewing officer will certify such completion and compliance on the sign permit for the sign.

In the event construction or installation is not in compliance with the ordinance and/or other applicable codes, the reviewing officer shall give the owner or applicant notice of the deficiencies and allow an additional 30 days from the date of inspection for the deficiencies to be corrected. In the event the deficiencies are not corrected by such date, the sign permit shall automatically lapse.

In the event the construction is complete and in compliance with the ordinance and/or other applicable codes by such compliance date, the reviewing officer shall issue the certification as described above.

(d)

Duration. Once a sign permit is issued for a particular sign, the sign permit shall continue so long as the sign is maintained in the manner set forth in this Ordinance and all other requirements of this Ordinance are met.

(e)

Lapse of sign permit. A sign permit shall lapse automatically if the establishment of activity on the zone lot or premises to which the sign relates is discontinued for a period of 90 days or more.

(f)

Transferability. A current and valid sign permit shall be freely assignable to a successor as owner or occupant of the property upon which the sign is located.

(g)

Modification. Before any sign for which a permit has been issued is modified or altered in any manner, other than merely changing the message content of the sign, an application for a new sign permit shall be filed and processed as set forth in this section.

(Ord. No. 04-2012, 3-6-2012)